How does deer hunting with a revolver compare to a shotgun?

[thunderhead]

In the county i live in you can use either a pistol or a shotgun to hunt deer, you can't use a rifle. Anyways ive always used a 870 12GA for hunting, thats what most people around here use, anyways i was talking with a guy lastnight that just took down a nice 8pt and he uses a .44 mag with a scope and says he been hunting with a revolver for years.

Anyways ive never actually even though of doing that but it sounds fun, i was kinda curious how much damage a .44 does compare to a 12GA Slug and how accurate it is.

 

[JamesArthur60]

I've used both, an 870 12 gauge and a 44 mag revolver. With the revolver it reminded me of hunting with a bow. The kill range is much closer compared to the shotgun. But, the revolver is certainly lighter to carry around all day. It's a personal choice I believe. If one can accurately shoot a revolver, it should work fine. Many are having good success with a suitable size/caliber handgun.

 

[Rick in IA.]

Here in Iowa Rifles are not allowed either. I have been using an old 41 mag blackhawk and love the challenge. I don't have a scope, just open sights.

It's fun !

Rick

 

[thunderhead]

so a shotgun is more accurate and a lot easier to kill with?

 

[buckeyeshooter1]

I've used both, an 870 12 gauge and a 44 mag revolver. With the revolver it reminded me of hunting with a bow. The kill range is much closer compared to the shotgun. But, the revolver is certainly lighter to carry around all day. It's a personal choice I believe. If one can accurately shoot a revolver, it should work fine. Many are having good success with a suitable size/caliber handgun.

my view too. that said, I usually use a shotgun or a muzzleloader.

 

[OKFC05]

so a shotgun is more accurate and a lot easier to kill with?

Not more accurate, and a quick kill depends on where you hit.
I can shoot 4" groups all day at 100yds with a scoped handgun.

However, it depends mostly on the shooter, and the distance you can hit a paper plate first shot, every time, is the max distance you should hunt deer.

There is a piece of Federal land nearby that only allows shotguns or handguns, and in the right hands they both produce deer. In the wrong hands, you see things like the 40# fawn that was finally dead after 4 shotgun slugs in the guts.

 

[venomballistics]

44 magnum seems to be a strangely perfect caliber for the job. it does not damage meat like slugs or rifle bullets yet still seems rather willing to devastate vitals.
you may find your hunting methods need a change though.
You will need to develop some stalking skills to get in a little closer and pick your shots a bit more stringently.

 

[MWark]

I think I'd be looking for a Thompson Center Contender in a .35 Remington.

 

[srgvaz]

If you can hit it with a hand gun you can hit it with a shotgun.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

Given the choice, I prefer a handgun. It was long popular in the South to deer hunt with shotguns and buckshot. Accurate sabot slugs and rifled barrels didn't exist in those days, so shotguns were short range. Big scoped revolvers offered an advantage. Plus, I didn't like hearing all that buckshot whizzing through the woods.

These days a scoped rifled barrel shogtun has some advantages of distance and power, and requires less practice effort to be good with. If you expect longer stationary shots, a scoped single shot pistol like a T/C Contender will have some advantages. In thick cover, or moderately close in shots, a revolver is my choice for easy carrying and is plenty effective. If you practice enough with it to be good enough with it.

 

[viceunit]

On paper the energy of a 12 ga. slug overwhelms the hottest 44 magnum. And, modern slug and sabot rounds have come a long way in the accuracy department. There were no slug barrels with rifling and few scoped shotguns were seen when I first started deer hunting 35 years ago. All that has changed and a modern shotgun with modern ammo is a formidable 100 yard+ combination, if the person behind the gun knows what they are doing.

However, in my experience - in the woods I hunt - 50 yard shots are the average - or less. I've taken many deer with both shotgun and 6-1/2" 29-2 and really enjoy the challenge of the handgun not to mention the sheer convenience of having my hands free when walking the woods or the ability to shoot nearly a 180 degree arc without repositioning. It seems to never fail with a long gun - the deer seem to show up on the opposite side that your gun is positioned requiring you to re-position. How many tails have I seen running off when I've tried to do that?

 

[viceunit]

Looks like me and VADG were thinking the same thing at the same time. Sir, you must be a genius!

 

[VAdoublegunner]

Pretty amazing! Yep, we got it figured out! That business of having to fire around the wrong side of the tree is exactly right!

 

[okie john]

A scoped shotgun with a rifled barrel will reach out 100-150 yards with ease. A good scoped revolver will reach nearly that far. If your shots are inside 100 yards, a smoothbore shotgun with iron sights will likely kill all the deer you'll ever see.


Okie John

 

[Jst1mr]

Best of both worlds: S&W 460XVR Scoped, a legitimate 200yd gun, with devastating knockdown power.

 

[feralmerril]

Shotgun shooting slugs is a area that has by-passed me. When I was a kid in wisconsin in our county you had to use slugs. That was in the 1950s. I shot maybe a half dozzen deer with them. The higher advanced rifled barrels and sabots etc came later after I left home. I do recall about 125 yards being about as far that we would or should try shots. I flat dont like scopes on a handgun. I do have a very old TC with a scope that is lost in the bottom of the safe somewhere. I know some people are into say 500s with glass etc, also some might have a freedom arms and shoot enough to be good enough with them. But for the rest of us unwashed, I belive the average guy is better off with a shotgun. I have shot just one deer with a handgun, and it was a unlikely shot of oppertunity that I tried. The gun was a 4" colt trooper in .357 and was handier at that moment.
To each his own, I guess.

 

[kennyb]

i use a scoped 500 mag.from the performance center...so far it has taken several boars...a trophy class merino ram and trophy class 4-horn ram...they will certainly get the job done...

 

[Brian41]

I use both a SBH with a Leupold/Gilmour red dot out to 50 yards or a Browning Gold Deer Hunter and a Nikon scope with sabots for shots further.
I've had several one shot kills with both and both stop them right there although I do pick my shots.

I've found the handgun kills much more satisfying though.

 

[ia1727]

You don't have to be nearly as good a hunter with a shotgun as you do with a bow or a revolver. You can swing a shotgun on running deer pretty fast and still be accurate--pretty hard to do with a revolver. You just can't acquire the sight picture quickly enough.

Gave up shotguns years ago--have shot lots of deer with a T/C .357 Max w/ 14" barrel w/ Muzzle Tamer and a T/C 2 1/2-7X scope.. All deer were stalked and taken while standing--none ran more than 20 yards before dropping.

If you're into hunting--use a handgun or a bow--if you're a meat hunter stay with the shotgun. JMHO

Steve

 

[1911-BILL]

I'll stick to my mossy 500 12ga. Anything inside of 100 yrds flops over dead on the first shot...you never have to track them more than a few feet.